Wheeled cultivator and the like.



W. ELLIOTT n CULTIVATOR AND THE LIKE.

WHEELE APPLlCATlOH FILED NOV. 2. 1914.. I

htented Nov. 20, 191?.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. ELLIOTT. WHEELED CULTIVAT OR AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. I914.

Patented Nov. 20, 191?.

3 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

W. ELLIOTT.

WHEELED CULTIVATGR AND THE LIKE.

APPLICAHON FILES MW. 2 1914.

1 ,246,896 Patentefl Nam 20, R917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 w ytwaooco UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

w rtinivr ELLIo'r'T, or perm-Qt; ivnnitnfsxn, Asisieitoit ropniviigs'rnft iiil nii FACTUEING COMPANY, or BEATRICE, NEBRASKA, Aconro'nn'rron or NEBRASKA.

WHEELED cuii'rrva'ron AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed November 2, 1914. Serial No. 869,963.

7 '0 all whom it mayconomm: 1

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing] at Beatrice, in the countyof Gage and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to \VheeledCultivators and thelike, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certalnimprovements in cultivators .andthelike, and the objects and nature of the invention will be readilyunderstood by those skilledin the art in the light of the following,explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believetovbe the preferred embodiment of the invention from among other forms,arrangements and constructions within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the inventionis to provide a cultivator or the like with animproved front truck particularlydesigned to support the front end ofthe machine and thereby relieve the draft animals of neck weight.

A further object of the invention is to Li provide certain improvementsin front supporting trucks for wheeled cultivators and like implements.I V

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements indetails of construction and combinations of elements for theproductionof an improved and highly efficient cultivator implement. a

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and incombinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forthand specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Fi ure 1, is a plan view of a tworow, wheeled cultivator provided wlth my invention.

Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section thereof.

Fig. 3, is a detail perspective. a a Fig. 4:, is a detail horizontalsection on the line 4Fig.5.

Fig. 5, is a detail side elevation on an enlarged scale and with partsbroken away.

In this particular instance, the cultivator embodies an arched axle 12,to the opposite ends of which swingable knuckles or brackets 2, arecoupled by vertical spindles or axes, and these brackets carry thehorizontal axle stubs or spindles on which the cultivator supporting andsteering wheels 1, are mounted. These.swingablelbracketsi, are providedwith suitable manually actuated controlling and steering means, by.which. the wheels. v.1,

aredirected straight ahead Ortothe-right or left. Any suitable foot orhand actuated means can be employed for this purpose, although I. showarms 3, projecting forwardly from brackets 2,.and these arms3, are.pivotally joined. by transverse connecting bar 4, to which the tiller ;rhand'steering-lever 5, can be coupled in any suitable. manner.

Whatever means are employed for steering. the wheelsl, such meansarepreferably; accessible to the driver while locatedin the seat 13.This driverls seat 13, is preferably carried by the'projecting rear endof the.- center longitudinal beam 6, of the cultivator; frame. 7 Thisframe comprises the main front cross beam 14, parallel with the archedaxle and fixedly secured thereto by the center beam 6, by fore and aftbars 6*, andby the two .bars 17. The portions; of the bars 17,thattraverse and are bolted. to the axle 1:2, and the front bea1n1t, arepreferablyparah lel and spaceduniform distances from and on oppositesides of the center beam 6. How-. ever, said bars 17, extend forwardlyfrom the beam 14,130 an advanced point to receive the cultivator tongue20. The bars 17, con verge forwardly from thebeam 1 4, ancl at theirfront ends fit the opposite edges of and are bolted to ahead orconnecting block or casting 2 8 Thecenter longitudinalbeain or bar 6,extends forwardly from the beam 1%, and is also fixed to or in saidheadblock 28. In the present instance, the front end pf; beam 6,extendsicentrally into said block and is rigid therewith, and the frontends of the two bars 17, are rigidly connectedjtogether and to beam 6,by said. block to form an ex ceedingly strong and rigid structure. A Theparallel front ends of the bars 17 preferably project forwardly beyondthe head 28 to receive the rear end of the tongue '20, which can becoupled thereto by a bolt 19, extending through thetongue and bars.

The draft can be applied to theframe in any suitable manner as by doubletree 15, mounted on the vertical center bolt depending .fromcenter beam6 of the frame. j p

In theexample illustrated, I, show the cultivator provided withvertically swing able plow or cultivator beams 9, carrying any suitableiowsor cultivator shovels ,8, and the vertical positions of these beamsare controlled by vertically swingable hand levers 7, within convenientreach from the drivers seat, and provided with toothed sectors 16, andhand controlled latches whereby the hand levers and cultivator beams canbe held in the desired adjustments as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art, as any suitable or well known cultivator beamsand their controlling means can be employed, such as rock shafts 10, andyielding connections 11.

In the particular example illustrated, I show a two-row cultivator,wherein two main or hand levers 7 are employed arranged on oppositesides of the driver and each controlling two cultivator beams.

The rigid main frame of the cultivator projects forwardly to an advancedpoint, as hereinbefore described, at which advanced point the tongue 20,is pivotally coupled to said main frame. Also, beneath this advancedpoint of the main frame, I provide a caster wheel to sup ort the frontend of the cultivator and t e rear end of the tongue.

This caster wheel is preferably of the trailing two wheel type, althoughall features of my invention are not so limited. In the particularexample illustrated, this truck embodies a transverse housing or axle2d, at its ends provided with the ground wheels 22, suitably confined toand mounted to rotate on or independently of said axle. This axle orhousing 24, is formed with a journal box or tubular bearing 24?, locatedmidway betweenthe wheels 22, and at right angles to the length of theaxle, and hence parallel with the line of draft. This bearing box 245*,receives and is suitably confined to and on the spindle or journal 21*,rigid with and projecting rearwardly from head 21*, located at the lowerend of and fixed to the vertical spindle or shaft 21.

The upper end of this spindle 21, extends loosely through the cultivatorframe head block 28, while the lower end of said spindle is mounted inand extends loosely through a fixed bearing sleeve or collar 25, fixedto and held and supported by upwardly and rearwardly diverging braces25, at their upper ends, rigidly secured to the bars. 17, at points inrear of the head block 28. The lower end of bearing sleeve 25, rests onthe caster wheel frame head 21, to aid in upholding the front end of thecultivator frame.

The upper portion of the shaft or spindle 21, is provided with a collar26, adjustably fixed thereto and arranged below the cultivator frame toaid in upholding the same. This collar 26, is so arranged that thecultivator frame head block 28 rests thereon to uphold the front end ofthe cultivator frame and therear of the tongue.

The spindle 21, freely rotates in the sleeve 25, and in the cultivatorframe head block 28, as the wheels trail to maintain their common axisat right angles to the line of draft, as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art. I urthermore, the axle 24, of the wheeledtruck is free to rock vertically on the intermediate spindle 24 as thewheels rise and fall in following the inequalities of the ground. Iattain peculiar advantages by thus providing a rocking support for thewheels, although I do not wish to limitall features of my inventionthereto.

This front truck travels on the ground and upholds the front end of thecultivator and thus relieves the draft animals of socalled neck weight,and is free to swing laterally on its advanced vertical axisindependently of the cultivator frame and without laterally disturbingthe position thereof, and yet should the front end of the frame bedeflected to the right or left the trailing wheeled support willautomatically turn and the wheel or wheels thereof will at once assumethe same direction.

In the particularexample illustrated, I show the collar 26, on the truckspindle 21, formed with a radial wing 26, projecting rearwardly underthe nose or front end of the forward extension of the cultivator frame.The curved rear free edge of this wing is formed with an elongatedlocking notch 27, arranged approximately midway the length of said edge,and adapted to receive the relatively narrow portion of an upright latch29, at its lower end mounted on a transverse axis or fulcrum 33, carried1 by the depending end of a bracket 32, clipped to the front end portionof frame bar 6, by U-bolt or clip 35. This bracketis formed with achamber or housing guiding and confining the latch and containing acompression spring 3 1, engaging the rear edge of the latch, at a pointbetween the ends of the .latch and constantly acting on the latch topress the same forwardly into operative relation with respect tothe rearend of the wing 26 I show the upwardly projecting free upper end oflatch 29, operatively connected by chain 30, or other flexible pullconnection, with a main lever 7, of the cultivator and so arranged thatwhen said lever is thrown back to elevate the cultivator beams fromoperative position with respect to the ground, the latch 29, will beswung back against the tension of its spring and from' operativerelation with respect to wing 26, and its elongated locking notch, andwhen lever 7, is swung forwardly to throw the cultivator beams intooperative relation to the ground, the connection 30, will be slack-vened, permitting the spring 35, to press the latch 29, forwardly intooperative relation to the wing and its locking notch. The latch hand,when the latch is held back from operative position by the chain 80, thefront caster wheel truck is free to swing through its full range ofmovement without being limited by the latch.

In cultivating listed corn the cultivator must operate within confinedlimits and must quickly respond to the guiding wheels 1, in followingthe rows and in keeping the various wheels on the ridges where theybelong.

The front caster wheel truck quickly responds to any change in directionof the a front extension of the frame, and I have found that where saidtruck is allowed to freely swing through its full range of movement whenlisted corn is being cultivated, that said truck has a tendency to swingtoo far and not recover quickly enough, when the guiding wheels 1, aresuddenly turned in one direction and then in the opposite direction infollowing. the rows, and that the wheels are consequently thrown fromthe ridges that they should follow or caused to crowd over against thecorn rows, all of which is objectionable. It is however, exceedinglyadvantageous that said front truck should perform caster wheel functionsunder certain restrictions when the cultivator is operating withinconfined or restricted limits such as mentioned, so that the operatorcan freely and quickly guide the cultivator to the right and left byguide wheels 1,

without cramping or changing the forward course of the front truck andwithout cramping the movement of the tongue, and yet so that the swingof the truck will be limited against swinging the wheels into the cornrows.

The length of the notch 27, with respect to the width of the latch issuch as to permit the necessary play or free movement of the casterwheel truck under such conditions as mentioned above, and to preventswing of the truck beyond such limits.

It is obvious that various connections might be employed betweenoperating parts of the cultivator and the latch to limit the swing ofthe wheeled truck when the cultivator shovels are in operative position,and also that such connections can be so arranged as to move the latchfrom operative position when the cultivator shovels are elevated, andthat these connections can be so arranged as to hold the latchfromoperative position irrespective of the position of the shovels whenthe cultivator is to be used for cultivating purposes rendering itdesirable that the front truck be allowed unlimited swing. For instance,the chain .30, can be readily uncoupled from the lever 7 and applied tosome part of the cultivator frame to hold the latch 29 from operativeposition where the cultivator is to be used for cultivating plants soarranged :and worked as to render it desirable that the wheeled truck beallowed full play during the cultivating operation. v

It is evident that various changes, m'odifications, and variationsmightbe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exactdisclosures hereof.

What I claim is 1. In awheeled cultivator, in combination, a framehaving a central rigid forward extension, a tongue coupled thereto,anevener coupled to said extension, a caster wheel truck coupled to saidextension for upholding the same and the rear end of the tongue,vertically movable cultivator beams coupled to said frame and providedwith manually controlled mechanism for determining the vertical positionthereof, manually controlled steering wheels supporting said frame, saidtruck being freely swingable on a vertical axis independently of saidextension, and mechanism for cooperating with said extension and saidtruck to limit the free swinging movementiof the truck during listedplant cultivation, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A wheeled cultivator having vertically movable cultivator beamscarrying cultivating implements, in combination with a freely laterallymovable caster wheel support for the front end of the cultivator, andautomatic means for cooperating with said caster wheel support to limitits free lateral movement with respect to the cultivator during listedplant cultivation.

3. A steering wheel cultivator having vertically movable cultivatorbeams and manually controlled means for determining the verticalposition of said beams, in combination with a front caster wheel truckfor upholding the front end of the frame of said cultivator, and stopmechanism between the cultivator frame and said truck for limiting thefree independent swing of the truck when the cultivator beams are inlowered cultivating position and for releasing said truck for full freeswing when the cultivator beams are elevated.

45. A wheeled cultivator having vertically movable cultivator beams, incombination with a front caster wheel supporting truck,

and latch mechanism controlled by the ver- 13c 'tic'al position of saidbeams for permitting limited free lateral play of the truck when thebeams arein lowered cultivating position and for permitting unlimitedlateral play of the truck when the beams are elevated from cultivatingposition, substantially as described.

5. In combination, in a steering wheel cultivator, a frame, verticallymovable cultivator beams coupled thereto, means for determining thevertical position of said beams, a caster wheel truck for upholding thefront end of said frame and coupled thereto to freely swing on avertical axis, a spring held latch carried by said frame and adapted tocooperate with said truck to permit restricted swing thereof, and a pullconnection controlled by the vertical position of said beams to operatesaid latch to permit full unlimited swing of said truck, substantiallyas described.

6. A wheeled cultivator comprising a vertically movable cultivator beam,a lever for raising and lowering the same, a caster wheel truck at andupholding the front end of the cultivator frame and coupled thereto tooscillate freely on a vertical axis, a latch mechanism between the frameand said truck to limit the free oscillation of the truck whencultivating listed plants, and means where- ,by said lever when swung inone direction will release said latch mechanism from said truck topermit unlimited oscillation of the truck, substantially as described.

7. A wheeled cultivator having rigid forwardly projecting frame bars anda head block secured thereto, a front tongue coupied to the frame barsin advance of the head block, said head block formed with averticalbearing opening, a bearing sleeve arranged a distance below and alinedwith said bearing opening and supported in fixed position from saidframe bars, in combination with a swingable caster wheel truck having ahead on which said sleeve rests and a vertical spindle extending throughsaid sleeve and said opening and provided with a stop on which said headblock rests.

8. A wheeled cultivator having a main frame formed with a rigid forwardprojection, a tongue secured to the front end of said projection, saidprojection comprising a center longitudinal bar and opposite sideforwardly converging bars, a head block between said side bars and towhich said side and center bars are fixed, a doubletree arranged in rearof said head block and pivotally Connected to and supported by saidcenter bar, said head block having a vertical bearing opening, a bearingsleeve arranged a distance below said block and alined with saidopening, hangers from said side bars supporting said sleeve, and acaster wheel truck for supporting the front end of said frame comprisinga vertical spindle mounted in said sleeveand in said opening and havingstops below said sleeve and said block.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

R. H. YALE, A. F. HEMBE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. V

